company history

Fab Tech V Industries has been serving Greencastle and surrounding communities since 1946. Not only have we been providing much needed products and services to the community for over a half a century, we’ve enjoyed contributing to the community by employing a highly skilled workforce of craftsmen that have provided quality products throughout the region. Here is how it all began.

Originally, Fab Tech V began business as Norman Diehl’s Sons in 1946. It was all started by William E. and Norman J. Diehl primarily as a welding repair business, and also as a continuation of their father's salvage business.

Over the years the business served the community in many ways. The 'Diehl Boys were known for their dealings in commodities such as used steel, hides, automobiles, rags, and batteries. Many old timers still visit the shop and reminisce how they brought skunk hides to Diehl's on their way to school. Over the years, the business out grew its original buildings in the alley off Ridge Avenue, and moved to its location on East Baltimore Street in 1959.

During the 1960's, the demand for the salvage business decreased, but their reputation for excellent craftsmanship and their expertise in repairing all kinds of things, from swing sets to manure buckets, enabled the business to continually grow.

In 1983 the business was purchased by Paul and Vickie McClain, with the idea of continuing the traditions established by the Diehl Brothers. Although the business had expanded to include subcontract work to other industries, the general repair and fabrication of custom items continued to make up a large portion of the work. The subcontract portion of the business continued to expand when Norman Diehl's Sons began doing corrugated pipe fittings for a local company. The corrugated pipe diameter ranged from 6” to 120”. Because of the size and quantity of these fittings, it was not long before a decision was made to build a separate building to handle the pipe fittings.

The separate Pipe Plant located at 68 Commerce Avenue, was built in April of 1987 and became building number two in the Norman Diehl’s Sons Complex. In July of 1988 the company was incorporated as Fab Tech V Industries, with Norman Diehl’s Sons and Fab Tech trading as divisions of the corporation. The growth of the business continued, as did the need for more space.

In February of 1989, a third building was built, located at 80 Commerce Avenue in Greencastle's Industrial Park. This additional space allowed the anxious dream of a Fab Tech Truck Body to come true. The first one rolled off the assembly line m March of 1989, and was put into service in the surrounding community, April of 1991 added another chapter to the Fab Tech chronicle. The Diehl's facility was merged into the facility at the more convenient location of 80 Commerce Avenue in the Industrial Park south of Greencastle. Unfortunately, in September of 1994 the 65th and last truck body rolled off the line due to a crwded and competitive marketplace. Today, many of these truck bodies are still in operation along the eastern seaboard.